Circuit-control mechanism



W. W. SCHILLING.

CIRCUIT CONTROL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 001130, I920.

Patented J um 28, 1921.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig. I.

Inventor:

Wa "her W. Schilling,- s 5 W I-lis Attorney w. W. SCH|L|' |NG.. CIRCUIT CONTROL MECHANISM. APPLICATION F|LED OCT. 30, 1920.

1,382,936, Patentediune 28,1921,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Walber W. Schilling,

His A-k-korna i urrso STATES I fATENT OFFICE.

WALTER w. SCHILLING, or soHENEc'rA'nr, new YORK, A'ssIGNoR r GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A-oonlronn'rrbn or NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT-CONTROL MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1921.

Application filed October 30, 1920. serial No. 420,785.

ators and to this end the use of a dead front board in combination with the switchboard is very desirable. The dead irontboard provides safetytorthe operator but'at the same time the switches and circuit breakers, of each of whichthere may be one or more, must be so interconnected that their operation will positively protect the circuit or circuits at all times. p

The object of my invention is therefore to provioe improved circuit controlling 'apparatus which will insure safety for both the operators and the circuit or circuits which it controls. 1

To this end Iprovide one or more interconnected sets of apparatus, each comprising an interconnected switch and circuit breaker mounted on suitable boards or panels and means for operating the switches and circuit breakers.

My invention also provides other features of arrangement and construction hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

For an embodiment of one of the various forms my invention may take, reference is to be had to the two annexed sheets of drawings which form partof this specification.

substantially simultaneous operation, each set comprising an interconnected switch "and circuit breaker shown in the closed-position.

Referring now to the characters of let ere'nce on thedrawi'n'gs, 1 indicates a switch board and'2'a dead front board spaced apart therefrom. The switch 3 and the circuit breaker 4 are mounted on the switchboard 1 and are connectedin series, and to 'e'conomize space the lower stud of the circuit breaker 4 is preferably used for the upper stud of the switch 3. The "circuit breaker 4 shown is of the single pole type, but it is obvious that double pole or triple pole circuit breakers could be used if desired.

The switch 3 and the circuit breaker 4 are interconnected by a linkage, provided with insulating members, which is supported by the 'dead front board 2, and, although I show in Fig. 3 only two sets, each com-prising an interconnected switch 3 and circuit breaker i, it is distinctly to be understood that each set may be repeated as many times -as desired. If two or more sets are used, they may be arranged vertically as shown in Fig. 3, horizontally, or both vertically and horizontally and so interconnected as to insure the slmultaneous action of 'all sets.

The circuit breaker 4: is provided with a rocker 5 which is hinged to the brush lever 6 by the pin 7. The-rocker 5 and the main links 8, which are hinged to the rocker 5 by a pin 9 and t0 the circuit breaker 4 by a pin 1.0, constitute a toggle for operating the cir cuit breaker d. Also hinged to the rocker 5 on the pin 9 is the closing link 11 to which link 13 by a pin 17. The other arm of the bent lever 16 is hinged by a pin 18 to the insul ating switch rod 19 and is also connected to the hand lever 20 by the link 21. The switch arm 22 of the switch 3 is provided with a crank pin which is slidable in the slot 24 of the switch rod 19 but is normally held at the far end of the slot 24 by the detent 25.

A spring pressed pull rod 26 supported by the dead front board 2 and hinged to a trip lever 27 which is tulcrumed on abracket 28, mounted on the switchboard 1 will, when drawn out, throw the upper end of the trip lever 271against the 'detent 2-5 if the switch 3 is the open position thereby permitting an idle movement of the switch rod 19 on the crank .pin 23 to leave the switch 3 open.

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here a pull rod 26 comes directly over a circuit breaker as the upper pull rod 26 in Fig. 3, a protective coating 46 of heat insulating and fire-proof material is provided to prevent the arc and hot vapors which occur at the secondary contacts when the circuit breaker opens from injuring the pull rod.

The rocker is held in the circuit breaker closed position by the catch lever 29, and when the hand lever is in the vertical position and the circuit breaker 4 is closed,the linkage interconnecting the switch 3, the circuit breaker 4 and the hand lever 20 is locked by a latch of insulating material arranged to be released by impact with the rocker 5 when the circuit 4 opens.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a modified form of latch which comprises a metallic latching arm 43 and an insulating tripping arm 44 arranged to receive the blow from the rocker 5 when the circuit breaker 4- opens and thus to trip the latching arm 43. The locking of the linkage renders the hand lever 20 inoperative to open the switch 3 on a closed circuit. This constitutes a safet feature which positively prevents drawing an are at the switch contacts and the consequent intensive burning thereof.

If it is desired to have more than one set of apparatus comprising an interconnected switch 3 and circuit breaker 4 and the different sets are to be arranged one above the other, I provide an arm 31 secured to the shaft 14 so as to turn therewith and hinged to a connecting rod 32 which joins one or more arms similar to and arranged above the arm 81. I may prefer to arrange the different sets horizontally, in which case the shaft 14 would run continuous from set to set and the arm or arms 31 and connecting rod 32 would be unnecessary. I may also arrange the sets both vertically and horizontally, in which case the construction would involve a conil'iination of the above in that the shaft 14- would be continuous and the arms 31 and the connecting rod or rods 32 would be necessary. It more than one set is used the preferred construction includes a latch similar to 30 or 43 for each set although it is obvious that one lat-ch would serve to lock all the linkages because of the interconnected relationship between the sets.

In any event, the link 21 and the hand lever 20 are preferably not repeated as the arms 31 and the connecting rod 32 or the use of a continuous shaft 14, or both, provide for simultaneous manual operationor" all switches and circuit breakers by one hand lever.

Each of the circuit breakers 4 is provided with the usual. automatic electromagnetic tripping means arranged to open the circuit breaker on the occurrence of abnormal circuit conditions and in order to insure the simultaneous opening of all the circuit breakers, each is provided with a cam 33 preferably mounted to turn on the pin 34 and retained in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring 35. Each cam 33 is provided with a lug projecting under the brush lever B, and the cam contacts with a dog 36 mounted on one arm of the catch lever 29. The cams are connected by a rod 37 so that if one circuit breaker opens, the drop of the brush lever G on to the lug of the cam 38 turns the cam 83 to force the rod 87 downward thereby causing each cam to turn and raise the corresponding dog, thus releasing each catch lever and opening every circuit breaker. Each circuit breaker is further provided with a manually operated means :tor opening comprising a spring pressed push rod 38 adapted to contact with the button on the catch lever 29 so as to release the same and open the circuit breaker.

iissuming the parts of my circuit control mechanism to be positioned as shown in Fig. l, the operation is as follows: It the circuit breaker 4 is opened by the release of the catch lever 29 because of some abnormal circuit condition or otherwise, such as moving in the push rod 38, the rocker 5 will fly back to the position shown in Fig. 2, thus forcibly contacting with and disengaging the latch 30 from the pin 17 so that the bent lever 16 is now free to turn. The hand lever 20 connected by the link 21 to the bent lever 16 and heretofore held in a substantially vertical position so as to prevent opening the switch on a closed circuit, is now free to turn upwardly on the fulcrum 39 for the purpose of closing the circuit breaker 4.

As the hand lever 20 is moved upwardly theswitch 3 opens and the lug 40 on the closing link 11 bears on the lug 41 on the rocker 5 so that when the hand lever 2t :uvproaches a substantially horizontal position the closing link 11 turns the rocker 5 into engagement with the catch lever 29 and the circuit. breaker 4 is closed but the switch 3 is fully open. The. arrangement of the linkage is such that the upward movement of the hand lever 20 opens the switch 3 prior to closing the circuit breaker 4.

To close the switch 3 the hand lever 20 is turned down into the position shown in Fig. 1, and in so doing, the bent lever 16 is turned back into the position shown in Fig. 1. so that the latch 30 again engages the pin 17, thereby locking the linkage to which the hand lever 20 is connected.

It is therefore'evident that the arrangement of my apparatus is such that the operator cannot hold the circuit breaker 4 in the closed position on a closed circuit because the upward movement of the hand lever 20 opens the switch 3 prior to closing the circuit breaker 4 and the downward movement of hand lever 20 which closes the switch 2 7 will release the detent 25.

3 leaves the circuit breaker 4L free to open to the construction shown in Fig. 3 to control the respective sides of aconti-n-uous current circuit or a single phase alternating current circuit or the respective lines of a polyphase alternating current circuit. Obviously, if desired, the switches and circuit breakers may be arranged in independent circuits for the simultaneous control thereof.

If it is desired to control certain of the circuits only, this may be done by leaving the switches open in the lines which are to be lett dead when the remaining circuits are closed, as follows :VVhen the hand lever '20 has been turned to a substantially horizontal position in the operation of closing the circuit breaker 4, the detent 25 will be moved in toward the switchboard 1 so that by drawing out the pull rod 26 the trip lever The hand lever 20 may then be turned down to the po sition shown in Fig. land the switch rod 19 will move-idly on the crank pin 23 which, when the switch "3 was opened, moved to the position 42, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the switch '3 will therefore remain open. Obviously, any one or more of the switches 3, as desired, may be left open in this way to leave the desired circuit or circuits dead although all the circuit breakers are closed.

The common upper switch and lower cir- 'trol mechanism is herein described in connection with one set of apparatus comprising an interconnected switch and circuit breaker, it is manifestly evident that whatever can be done with one set is also possible with a plurality of sets in view of the interconnected relationship between sets heretofore described and the fact that each switch and each circuit breaker are provided with a manual release and the control of every set, whether one or more is used, is invested in one hand lever 20.

It is, therefore, evident that my circuit control mechanism presents the following safety features and advantages :-An apparatus comprising one or more interconnected circuit breakers adapted to open automatically and simultaneously, if more than one, on the occurrence of any abnormal circuit condition and one or more interconnected switches which cannot be opened on a closed circuit. The switch or switches can be opened only after the circuit breaker or breakers are open and only after the circuit breaker or breakers are closed can the switch or switches be closed, and also the circuit breaker or breakers can be opened while the switches are open, therebyrendering the circuit breaker or breakers dead. The manual control is invested in one hand lever, one or more switch pull rods and one or more circuit bitaaker push rods, all operable from a deadfron't boarc lvly circuit control mechanism is therefore compact, simple to operate and possesses safety features for the pro tection of both the circuit and the operator.

Although I have described and shown my invention in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the eXact and specific details thereof as shown and described, but may use such modifications in substitution for or equivalents thereof as are embraced within the scope of my invention, or as pointed out in the claims.

What I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a circuit control mechanism, a switch, a circuit breaker, an operating lever, a linkage interconnecting said switch, circuit breaker and operating lever arranged so that one movement of the operating lever opens the switch and subsequently closes the circuit breaker and the reverse movement closes the switch, and latching means arranged to lock said linkage upon the completion of said reverse movement of the operating lever and adapted to be released by the opening of the circuit breaker.

2. The combination with a switchboard and a dead front board of a switch and a circuit breaker mounted on said switchboard, an operating mechanism for said switch and circuit breaker mounted on said dead front board, a linkage supported by said dead front board provided with insulating members and arranged to interconnect said switch, circuit breaker and operating mechanism so that movement of the operating mechanism in one direction closes the circuit breaker subsequent to opening the switch and in the opposite direction closes the switch, and locking means for said linkage arranged to be engaged upon the movement of the operating mechanism in the direction to close the switch and to be released upon the opening of the circuit breaker. I

3. In combination with a circuit breaker normally biased to open position, latching means adapted to hold said circuit breaker in closed position, an operating lever, means comprising a toggle whereby motion of said operating lever in one direction closes said circuit breaker, a switch, means including a disengageable connection for operatively connecting said switch to said operating lever arranged so that a motion of said operating lever in a direction to close said circuit breaker first opens said switch and so that motion in the reverse direction closes said switch, means for locking said operating lever against movement while the circuit breaker and switch are closed arranged breaker and operating mechanism and dis engageably connected to said switch arranged so that one movement of the operating mechanism opens the switch prior to closing the circuit breaker and the reverse movement closes the switch, locking means for said linkage arranged to be engaged upon said reverse movement of the operating mechanism and to be released upon the opening of the circuit breaker and means adapted to be operated to disengage said switch from said linkage when the switch is open so that said reverse movement of the operating mechanism may actuate the linkage to engage the linkage locking means without closing the switch.

5. A circuit control mechanism comprising a plurality of switches, a plurality of circuit breakers interconnected for substantially simultaneous operation, an operating mechanism for said switches and circuit breakers, a plurality of linkages interconnected for substantially simultaneous operation and arranged to connect said switches and circuit breakers with said operating mechanism so that one movement of the op erating mechanism opens the switches prior to closing the circuit breakers and the reverse movement closes the switches, and means for locking said linkages arranged to be released upon the opening of the circuit breakers and to be engaged upon the reverse movement of the operating mechanism.

(3. In combination a plurality o1 switches, a plurality of circuit breakers interconnected for substantially simultaneous operation,

an operating mechanism for said switches and circuit breakers, a plurality of linkages interconnected "for substantially simultaneous operation, each connecting a circuit breaker to the operating mechanism and disengageably connected to a switch, arranged so that one movement of the operating mechanism opens the switches prior to closing the circuit breakers and the reverse movement of the operating mechanism closes the switches, locking means for said linkages arranged to be engaged upon said reverse movement of the operating mechanism and to be released upon the opening of the circuit breakers, and means adapted to be operated to disengage said switches from said linkages when the switches are open so that said reverse movement of the operating mechanism may actuate the linkages to engage the linkage locking means without closing the switches.

7. The combination with a switchboard and a dead front board of a plurality of switches mounted on said switchboard, a plurality of circuit breakers mounted on said switchboard and interconnected for substantially simultaneous operation, an operating mechanism for said switches and circuitbreakers mounted on said dead front board, a plurality oi linkages supported by said dead front board and interconnected for substantially simultaneous operation, each provided with insulating members and each connecting a circuit breaker with said operating mechanism and disengageably connected to one of said switches arranged so that one movement of the operating mechanism closes the circuit breakers subsequent to opening the switches and the reverse movement of the operating mechanism closes the switches, locking means for said linkages arranged to be engaged upon said overse movement of the operating mechanism and to be released by the opening of the circuit breakers, and means adapted to be operated to disengage said switches from said linkages so that said reverse movement of the operating mechanism may actuate the linkages to engage the linkage locking means without closing the switches.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day oi: October, 1920.

WALTER SGHILLING. 

